


Forget-Me-Nots

by kasunn



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, Coffee Shops, First Meetings, Light Angst, M/M, Memory Loss, Some Fluff, i guess??, kind of, more of an
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 04:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11638803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kasunn/pseuds/kasunn
Summary: “Have we met before?”Keiji almost missed the rich voice questioning him. He looked up from where he’d been engrossed in his book and his gaze meets one of familiar gold.“Excuse me?” he asked, not quite sure what had been asked of him. The man set his coffee cup on the table Keiji is seated at and pulled out the chair opposite him.“Have I met you somewhere before? You look like someone I should know.” The man’s voice was eager like a puppy.Keiji tilted his head to the side, closing his book, as the chair across from him was filled by a man he knew all too well. Not that the man knew him.





	Forget-Me-Nots

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is kinda messy, but it's been in my wips for so long and I finally finished it so...here :D

“Have we met before?” 

 

Keiji almost missed the rich voice questioning him. He looked up from where he’d been engrossed in his book and his gaze meets one of familiar gold.

 

“Excuse me?” he asked, not quite sure what had been asked of him. The man set his coffee cup on the table Keiji is seated at and pulled out the chair opposite him.

 

“Have I met you somewhere before? You look like someone I should know.” The man’s voice was eager like a puppy. 

 

Keiji tilted his head to the side, closing his book, as the chair across from him was filled by a man he knew all too well. Not that the man knew him.

  
  


_ In his second year of high school, Akaashi Keiji fell in love. It had come as a gentle realization, the moment of awareness washing over him like a calming breeze. Keiji had smiled, shocking the rest of the team when he laughed after Bokuto had spiked one of his sets, perfect as always (or maybe he was a bit biased).  _

 

_ “Great job, Bokuto-san,” he remembered saying and Koutarou lit up, brighter than any ray of sunshine.  _

 

_ “Again!” Koutarou shouted and so they had gone for the rest of practice, everyone’s mood just a bit happier due to Keiji’s laugh. _

 

_ Keiji was content to just be near Koutarou, watching him from where he had always been as the ace’s setter. It wasn’t until Koutarou’s graduation day that Keiji did anything about his feelings.  _

 

_ “Bokuto-san,” he tugged lightly on Koutarou’s sleeve and the wild haired boy grinned, making Keiji’s heart skip a beat. _

 

_ “Hey Akaashi!” _

 

_ Keiji smiled, only feeling the slightest trepidation at what he was about to do. Either way, Koutarou would be going off to college the next day and they wouldn’t be going to the same school next year so no harm no foul, Keiji figured. _

 

_ He dragged Koutarou away from the crowd, towards an empty corner behind the school. How cliche, Keiji thought, taking note of their surroundings. Typical of him to pick a spot where Koutarou had probably been confessed to tens of times before.  _

 

_ “Bokuto-san,” Keiji started, licking his lips. Koutarou was watching him eagerly, leaning forward and encouraging Keiji to keep going. “I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me.” _

 

_ Koutarou’s eyes widened dramatically and Keiji couldn’t tell if the look was one of disgusted shock or excitement.  _

 

_ “You...like me?” Koutarou asked, pointing at himself. Keiji chuckled slightly. _

 

_ “Well...yes. I mean, I wouldn’t have asked otherwise,” he answered, taking care to let only a tiny bit of his laughter escape with his voice. _

 

_ “Like,” Koutarou began, “you  _ like _ like me?” _

 

_ Keiji couldn’t stop himself when a burst of laughter escaped him. He covered his smile with his hand. “Yes, Bokuto-san. I do.” _

 

_ Koutarou perked up and if he were a dog, Keiji was sure his tail would be wagging rapidly, thumping wildly like Keiji’s heart. _

 

_ “Really? Really?” Koutarou buzzed with excitement and threw his arms around the younger boy as soon as he gave the slightest nod of his head. Keiji was feeling a bit shy and tensed when Koutarou’s arms wrapped around him but immediately relaxed in the older boy’s hold, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over him.  _

 

_ “You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that,” Koutarou mumbled against Keiji’s neck.  _

 

_ “Hug me? Or ask me out?” Keiji teased with a smile, taking his captain’s hug as answer enough. _

 

_ Koutarou frowned, arms looped around Keiji’s neck. “Wait, but couldn’t you have asked earlier? We’re not going to be going to the same school for a year. It’s gonna be so hard, Akaashi!” _

 

_ Keiji gave him a tentative smile, “Well, honestly, I wasn’t so sure you’d say yes--” _

 

_ “WHAT??? Of course not I--” _

 

_ “But,” Keiji continued, “that doesn’t matter now, anyways. You said yes, so we’ll just figure it out from here.” _

 

_ Koutarou smiled that same bright smile and hope bloomed like a wildfire in Keiji’s chest.  _

  
  


Keiji shook his head, fondly remembering the time when he didn’t feel so broken and burnt out. 

 

“No, I don’t think so,” Keiji answered when he realized the man-- Koutarou was still looking at him expectantly. 

 

Koutarou cocked his head adorably, then smiled making Keiji’s heart crack just a tiny bit more. 

 

“I’m Bokuto Koutarou! I just moved into town. What’s your name?” Koutarou--  _ no, he’s Bokuto-san now _ \-- said. Keiji barely managed to hide his wince at Bokuto’s tone. Polite and kind; not familiar or casual as Keiji had been used to. 

 

_ That boy doesn’t exist anymore. Forget about him. _

 

Keiji nodded, face carefully neutral but pleasant. “Akaashi Keiji.” He saw no harm in telling Bokuto his name. It’s not like Bokuto would get anything from it. “It’s nice to meet you, Bokuto-san.” A barely concealed cringe. 

 

Bokuto’s golden eyes widened, his eyebrows stretching nearly to his hairline. 

 

“Whoa! That’s such a pretty name! I bet lots of people have told you that. Has anyone ever told you that?” Bokuto asked excitedly. Keiji’s heart skipped a beat as he struggled to keep his face in proper form. He wanted to scream at Bokuto. 

 

_ Yes!  _ You  _ told me that! Hundreds of times! Almost everyday for four years! _

 

Instead, Keiji just shook his head. “Not recently.”

 

Bokuto looked shocked, his mouth falling open dramatically. Keiji had to physically restrain himself from either rolling his eyes or bursting into tears or both. None of those would look all that great to someone he had seemingly just met.

 

“Wow! I’m really surprised. You’re so-- I mean your  _ name _ is so pretty!” Bokuto stumbled, almost sounding awkward. But Bokuto was never awkward. He turned every situation into his own, making the most of every bit. There was no awkwardness for Bokuto Koutarou, no embarrassment.

 

“Thank you, Bokuto-san,” Keiji said, plastering on a relatively believable fake smile. Bokuto smiled back at him and Keiji felt his world light up, a ray of light through the darkness that had become his life. There was no light for him without Bokuto. Bokuto was selfish. He took all the brightness in the world with none left for the poor setter that had fallen victim to the sun. 

 

At least, that’s what Keiji told himself. 

 

(He knew it wasn’t true.

 

He  _ knew  _ that.)

 

But now, Bokuto was giving some back. It was kind, just as Bokuto had always been. 

 

(So so kind.)

 

The bell on the cafe door rang and Bokuto’s eyes lit up again. 

 

“Bro! Where were you?” He called to the newcomer gleefully. Keiji couldn’t help the wince that crossed his face that time, but luckily, Bokuto was too distracted to notice it.

 

“Hey, Bo! I’ve been looking for you. Who’s your friend?” Kuroo asked. Keiji silently cursed the universe for doing this to him. What had he done in his past life to deserve this torture? He’d evaded his past for two years and would’ve been just fine avoiding it forever.

 

Keiji turned around in his seat to face the one and only Kuroo Tetsurou. Kuroo hadn’t changed much in the years since they’d last seen each other. Keiji hadn’t really either. His hair might’ve been a bit longer, face a bit wearier, but it wasn’t much. 

 

He could see how Kuroo’s face drained of blood when he saw who Bokuto was sitting with. If there was an award for best recovery time, though, Kuroo would’ve been the winner, a thousand times over, because he simply smiled and continued walking to their table without a further hitch.

 

“I  _ see _ ,” Kuroo teased wiggling his eyebrows. Bokuto reddened slightly and Keiji looked away, unsure of how he should act now that Kuroo’s eyes were on him. “Hey, Keiji. Long time no see.” 

 

Keiji’s eyes flicked up, widening in disbelief. Kuroo nodded, telling him it was his call.

 

“Hello, Kuroo,” Keiji mumbled. He managed a weak smile as Bokuto’s eyes flicked between them. 

 

“You two know each other?! How?” He half-screeched. Bokuto seemed to realize they were still in a public place and looked around guiltily. Kuroo rolled his eyes and laughed at his friend, eyeing Keiji with slight concern.

 

“We’ve known each other since high school. Haven’t seen him since he completely went off the grid after college, though.”

 

There was no accusation in Kuroo’s voice, but Keiji couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt. He hadn’t wanted to leave everyone behind in such a difficult time. It’s always easier to leave, though.

  
  
  


_ “Hey, Bo! You’re finally awake,” Kuroo greeted as he strolled into the room that had been Koutarou’s for the past few weeks. “Is Akaashi here? He must be so excited that you’re up and running.” _

 

_ “Akaashi?” Koutarou asked, looking up at his best friend with wide, confused eyes. “Who is that, again?” _

 

_ “Akaashi Keiji? You remember him, right?” Kuroo asked, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. _

 

_ “Am I supposed to?” _

 

_ Kuroo stared at Koutarou blankly as Keiji watched from the doorway. Kuroo forced his eyes away from his friend and looked to the hall, meet Keiji’s. Keiji shook his head, smiling sadly at Kuroo. Kuroo looked back at Koutarou with glassy eyes. He felt the shards of a relationship broken fall around him like shattered glass as he heard Keiji’s footsteps retreating down the hall. _

 

_ “Nah, bro. I was just teasing. Let’s eat something. I’m starved.” _

 

_ A fire had been extinguished, only dust and ashes remaining. _

  
  
  
  


“C’mon, Bo. We have to go meet up with Kenma. He wanted to buy that new game,” Kuroo said, pulling Bokuto up from his seat. Keiji watched them, sipping from his coffee cup. It was nearly empty.

 

“But I want to talk to Akaashi more!” Bokuto complained. Kuroo chuckled, patting Bokuto on the back a few times. Bokuto got up, flashing a smile at Keiji that cracked his fragile facade yet again. Bokuto was always able to do things to Keiji that no one else could manage.

 

“I’ll see you later, right Akaashi?” Bokuto pleaded. Keiji allowed a small smile to creep onto his face. 

 

“Maybe.”

 

Kuroo managed to successfully drag Bokuto out of the shop and Keiji was alone, mindlessly sipping at his empty coffee cup. He didn’t pick his book back up, yet. He was still trying to calm his heart.

 

Keiji’s phone buzzed from where it had been lying on the table. He peered at it curiously, wondering who was texting him.

 

**From: Unknown**

_ HEy hey hey!  _

_ I got ur # from Tetsu! _

_ I was wondering if youd like to go out 4 coffee sometime _

_ with me :D  _

_ this is Bokuto btw _

 

Keiji stared at his phone, eyes wide and unbelieving. Interestingly, he found that the strangest thing about this was the fact that Kuroo had kept his number all these years. Keiji knew that he hadn’t done the same. 

 

He read the messages over and over again as if they’d change if he kept looking at them. When they didn’t, Keiji found himself lost in thought. Should he try it? Would it even work

out?  _ Could  _ it even work out?

 

He steeled himself, thumbs hovering hesitantly over the keyboard.

  
  
  
  


**To: Bokuto-san**

_ Hello, Bokuto-san. _

_ I think I’d like that. _

  
  
  


With that, a flame bloomed anew.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> The flame stands for hope, y'all.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this! If you didn't, then feel free to yell at me on [tumblr](https://seamorered.tumblr.com/) or in the comments lmao. (If you did, still feel free to come talk on tumblr. I'm always free lol)
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!! I'd love to hear from you :) 
> 
> Til next time~


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